Instructions: Please respond to the 2 people below in a proper manner. There should be one response per person so there should be a total of 2 responses.

Person 1 (Jerome):

1. Several planning errors contributed to the chaotic situation at the wedding reception. First of all, the restaurant staff and the wedding couple did not communicate well about how many guests would be arriving, which resulted in inadequate food and seating for the actual number of visitors. Secondly, the wedding cake collapsed horribly because it was not properly built and secured. The additional strain came from relying on the father of the bride to deliver champagne without confirming its timely arrival. In addition, there was insufficient preparation for inclement weather, as shown by the absence of suitable shelter provisions or a backup indoor location. All things considered, poor planning, communication, and anticipatory judgment played a part in the reception's poor execution.
2. If I had to arrange the event over again, I would have prioritized improved collaboration and communication with all stakeholders. To properly prepare the food and make seating arrangements, I would have first made sure that the exact number of guests was understood. To prevent any errors with the cake collapsing, I would have also done a complete practice of the cake assembly. In addition, I would have made arrangements for a backup indoor site or provided tents for outside events in case of unforeseen weather delays. All things considered, prior planning, unambiguous communication, and strong problem-solving techniques would have been necessary to guarantee a prosperous and seamless event.

Person 2 (Libna):

1. What planning errors were made? Many planning errors occurred in this case. Despite all of the errors being out of the control of Jason, he could've had better outcomes with a more strategic plan. The first error was with the family's participation in the reception such as the cake from the aunt and the father bringing champagne. As a catering and restaurant professional if Jason would've contacted the aunt prior he would've found out about her 3 tiered cake plan and could've advised her to be careful with the weight. By coordinating ahead of time with the bride's father he could've offered to have his staff bring the champagne or advised them to bring it the night before to avoid any mishaps, especially considering that the couple's family is always extremely busy the day of the event. The third issue was the number of unexpected guests arriving, as we know based on our course material it is important to determine alternatives for each scenario and there should have been a plan in the case that the total guest count was off. Again since analyzing the environment is another part of planning, Jason should've considered that the reception was at a public park and should have thought about all of the factors that go along with outdoor and public events. If he did this he would've analyzed the possibility of rowdy people nearby and the possibility of rain or weather mishaps since it was an outdoor event. Lastly, the late food delivery was a major issue as this is a huge part of the reception. If Jason would've properly coordinated with restaurant staff he could've found out about the meeting with their investment partner and could've rescheduled. With further coordination, he should have planned to take into account possible mishaps with the food to avoid the Uber situation. Additionally, with a strategic plan, he would've also avoided the tardy arrival time of the food overall.

2. How would you have planned the event differently? I would've planned this event differently by thinking ahead for each scenario. As I listed above I believe there was a lack of coordination among all parties involved such as family members, wedding guests, and the restaurant catering. To avoid scheduling and timing issues I would've focused more on scheduling and leaving sufficient time in case an unexpected mishap happens. I would also focus on controlling the things I can control so I would be sure to have a backup plan for each of the parts crucial to the success of the event. I would also conduct a SWOT analysis to figure out everything that could go wrong to ensure I have all of my bases covered. Overall I believe that many of the errors could've been avoided by focusing more on effective and strategic project management and planning.